


Amends

by thatonewriterchick



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Apologies, Bonding, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Reunions, Team, Team Bonding, Team Building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24304843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatonewriterchick/pseuds/thatonewriterchick
Summary: Hop goes to retrieve his first Pokemon - and to apologize for forgetting what’s important.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Amends

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still toying with the idea of not capitalizing 'pokemon' and the species' names. It's a fair point, after all, that we don't capitalize Lion in the middle of the sentence when talking about the animal (not the movie lol). I don't think I mind, either way, but I'm trying to decide if it bothers me grammatically, if that makes sense. In case anyone wonders why some stories have names capitalized and others don't. Anyways!! Hope you enjoy and you're staying safe.

Coming back home had a deeper meaning that didn’t sit well with Hop as he trudged up the road leading toward Postwick. The sun was warm at his back and the wind tousled his hair as he eyed the pastures. Pokemon grazed, played and napped in the midday sun, though a few paused to cast curious glances at him as he passed.

He found the pokemon grazing alone closer to the fence. Hop’s heart squeezed at the sight of his friend isolating himself; he’d always been very friendly and to see him alone spoke volumes about his mood. 

That was definitely his fault, Hop knew, guilt needling him as he hoisted himself over the fence.

The hiss of disturbed grass made the ram raise his head and eye the would-be intruder. He stared at Hop for a moment before huffing through his nose and lowering his head back to the grass.

“Aw, Dubs,” Hop sighed, moving beside the pokemon. “I know you’re mad at me. I deserve it - I was a prick, switching you out.” At the time, it had seemed like the only option; with Bede and Gloria leaving him behind, he’d tried everything he could, from different strategies, training regimen and spending an embarrassingly exorbitant amount on technical machines and records. He’d thought about it for days and had thought that maybe, just maybe a different line up would do it.

Instead, he’d not only continued to lose, but he’d obviously hurt his first partner’s feelings.

The pokemon drew his attention with a sharp bleat, turning his head. Hop had to lean back to avoid the pointed horns as they swung around.

“I’m sorry, Dubs,” he murmured, reaching out to stroke the soft fleece. At least the pokemon didn’t dodge the touch. “I’ve been a horrible - and you took the worst of it.”

Dubwool leaned into his touch, nuzzling him.

“I don’t deserve a friend like you,” Hop continued. “And I don’t deserve another chance...but I was hoping you’d come back to the team.”

Freezing, the pokemon blinked at him.

“I told you when you were a wooloo,” Hop said, settling on the grass and folding his legs. “That I was going to challenge the League with you at my side.”

The pokemon huffed again, but didn’t look away.

“I’m sorry that I lost sight of what was really important.” Hop pulled a stray bit of grass from dubwool’s flank. “That I forgot that you were with me before all this even began. That we were supposed to do this together.”

Dubwool shifted, drawing Hop’s attention to the flash of purple and orange above the ram’s hoof. The friendship bracelet there wasn’t the original one he’d made, but after the first one had been lost, wooloo had been so upset, Hop spent a week making hundreds more.

“You’re still perfect, Dubs,” Hop promised, leaning forward in earnest. “It’s me who’s the idiot.” He stretched his legs out and sighed. “I’ve always been so focused on catching up with Lee...not disappointing everyone.” The sting behind his eyes and the sudden tightness in his throat surprised him. “I should’ve been thinking about my pokemon. I should’ve been thinking about you.” He stopped as his throat closed up.

Pressing closer, dubwool nibbled at Hop’s hair, making him laugh a little as he wrapped his arms around his pokemon.

Dubwool nuzzled him and then began to climb into Hop’s lap.

“Wait, wait! Don’t step -” Hop was quick to shift, avoiding hooves and a world of pain as he made room for the pokemon. Once settled as well as he could be in Hop’s lap, dubwool sighed in contentment, stilling. With a little smile, Hop murmured, “You’re still perfect the way you are.”

The pokemon looked up at him.

“Let’s finish this thing the way we started, huh?” Hop rested a hand on dubwool’s head. “Win or lose....let’s do it together.”

His answering bleat of determination made Hop grin so wide, his cheeks hurt.

**Author's Note:**

> After Twilight Wings episode 3, I felt some kind of way. Hop has technically abandoned poor wooloo twice, since it looks like he hasn’t even left home during the episode. And in the game, he switches Dubwool out in an effort to stop losing. Which, I mean, is what you do to win sometimes, but it’s just different here, okay? There’s pre-journey bonding between these two. I can’t even imagine the conversation that went down when he had to tell the poor Pokemon he was off the team… :’(


End file.
